Political career/ involvement to date:
Politics and Irish Degree NUIG. Elected 3rd out of 24 candidates with 1,196 first preference votes to Sligo Co.Co. May 2014. 1st election. No previous political party involvement.
An elected member of Sligo County Council since June 2014.

Family Details:
Married to Mel and the mother of 5 children ranging in ages from 7 to 12.

Membership of clubs or organisations:
Chairperson of North Sligo Playground Group, Member of North Sligo Athletic club, coach girls Gaelic teams at an underage level, Naomh Molaise Gaels, Treasurer and PRO Grange and District Community Alert. Member of Grange and Armada Development Association, Member Friends of Sligo Gaol.

Election Priorities:
Education investment from pre-school through to third level, including investment in a national system of childcare we all can be proud of and the establishment of a Technological University in the North West.
Infrastructural investment including the construction and upgrading of schools, the end to information poverty experienced among most rural communities because of atrociously poor broadband provision.
Promoting and investing in small indigenous business and local enterprise.
Rural infrastructure upgrades and improvements such as Post Offices, Garda Stations, National Schools and rural crime prevention strategies.
Supporting Farmers to enable them to have decent livelihood off the land to work on the farm and raise a family.
A fair health system that treats everyone with dignity and respect.
Regional development of sustainable employment creation such as harnessing the enormous potential of our North West tourism potential.
To campaign for equal opportunities for those living with a disability and support those who care for them.

Why Should People Vote for Me?
I will be a strong independent voice for the North West.
For too long the region has been neglected by successive governments.
We have lost generation of people in their twenties who have either migrated to the east coast of Ireland or emigrated due to the lack of opportunity.
I will fight for the badly needed resources and investment that has been focused on other regions of the country
I want to support the start ups who want to make a better life for themselves and their families in the North West.
I will fight for adequate childcare to allow people to return to work. Childcare workers should also be adequately remunerated for their work commensurate with their qualifications. Many of the workers in the childcare sector have level 7 and 8 qualifications, and are being paid the minimum wage.
Mental health services need to be properly resourced, including the promotion of positive mental health in schools This would include the restoration of Guidance hours to schools, which have been cut by this government through their austerity drive.
More emphasis on physical education in schools, which should include more than the basic one session a week which the department of education require at the moment. I propose that Physical Education become a leaving certificate subject, with points allocated in the same way that other subjects.
Many of our young people are being forced into inappropriate third level education courses. I would propose that a system of apprenticeships similar to the continental model. Dual training is at the heart of every apprenticeship, where the theory apprentices learn in class is reinforced by practice at work. Apprenticeships in Industry, Banking, Manufacturing, IT and Hospitality are common, rather than the almost exclusive construction based apprenticeships we are familiar with.

What will I Do if Elected?
I will work as hard as I can for the North West and for the country. A balanced national recovery will provide a stronger Ireland – this means that jobs and infrastructural development should be spread away from Dublin to the regions, particularly the North West.

I will not make any promises as to what I will do, however, if any person wishes to contact me, I will endeavor to help constituents to access services.

Additional Information:
As a member of the Independent Alliance, I will, if elected, be a one of a group of TD’s who will very likely be in the balance of power. If this happens, the possibility of negotiating in favour of our region will be accentuated.
We can improve the lot of our region. We can bring the jobs and investement that we need to keep our young people in the North West.
Vote Marie Casserly No.1!